Ball target with multi-directional discharge openings



Oct. 3l, 1967 w. 1. CHEVRETTE ETAL 3,350,097

BALL TARGET WITH MULTI-DIRECTIONAL DISCHARGE OPENINGS Filed April 28, 1965 W) WILFRED J. CHEVRETTE BVDANIEL M. CHEVRETTE A 7' TOR/V575 United States Patent 3,350,097 BALL TARGET WITH MULTI-DIRECTIONAL DISCHARGE OPENINGS Wilfred J. Chevrette, 9092 N. Irish Road, Mount Morris,

Mich. 48458, and Daniel M. Chevrette, 7081 E. Carpenter Road, Davison, Mich. 48423 Filed Apr. 28, 1965, Ser. No. 451,470 1 Claim. (Cl. 273-105) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A ball game apparatus including a vertical tube having an open upper end for the reception of a ball thrown therein, a plurality of curved discharge tubes, each of said discharge tubes having a horizontally disposed ball outlet portion and an inlet portion communicating with a lower end of said vertical tube, and means attached to said discharge tubes for floatably supporting said dis charge tubes and vertical tube.

This invention relates to an amusement device, and more particularly to a device which may be used in various surroundings as on land, in the water, in a bathing pool, at the beach, or the like.

Modern materials and production processes have made it possible to produce a great number of inexpensive swimming pools in the past few years. These swimming pools are both of the permanent type construction and the portable type construction. However, the swimming pool industry has not been able to provide amusement devices for enjoying these pools other than merely swimming in them. Accordingly, it is an important object of the present inventionto provide an economical amusement device for use with a swimming pool which will increase the enjoyment obtained from using the pool.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved ball game apparatus which may be used either in a pool or on the ground surrounding the pool, or on a beach or in the water adjacent to the beach.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a novel ball game apparatus which may be safely used by young children as well as grown-ups to provide a healthy outlet for youthful energy in a safe and enjoyable manner. I

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a novel ball game apparatus which is simple and compact in construction, economical to manufacture, and safe and efiicient in use.

It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a novel ball game apparatus which includes a vertical tube having an enlarged open upper end which is adapted to receive a ball thrown therein, and said tube being provided with a plurality of discharge tubes disposed around the lower end thereof for discharging the ball. The vertical tube is adapted to be supported by a base member which may be buoyant to permit use of the ball game apparatus in the Water as well as on the land.

Other objects, features and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, appended claim, and accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a ball game apparatus made in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the structure illustrated in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is an elevational sectional view of the structure illustrated in FIG. 2, taken along the line 3-3 thereof, and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now to the drawing and in particular to FIG. 1, wherein is shown an illustrative embodiment of the invention, the numeral 10 generally indicates a base which supports a platform 11 on which is carried a vertical tube generally indicated by the numeral 12. As best seen in FIGS. 1 and 3, the base 10 is illustrated as being hemispherical in overall configuration with the upper circular top wall 14 and the integral hemispherical Wall 13. The base 10 provides buoyancy for the :ball game apparatus and may be made from any suitable material,

- as for example, either a hard or flexible material, such as plastic, rubber or the like. Although the base 10 is shown as having a hemispherical outer wall 13 it will be obvious that the base 10 may be provided with any suitable supporting configuration, as for example the lower end of the base could be flat.

The base 10 may be provided with a suitable ballast 15 as shown in FIG. 3. The ballast 15 would be disposed in the lower end of the base 10 and may be of any suitable material, as for example, sand, metal shot, or the like. A horizontally disposed spacer wall 16 may be mounted in the lower end of the base 10 and secured to the inner surface of the wall 13 by any suitable means, as by a suitable adhesive.

The base 10 is provided with an anchor means which includes an attachment rod 18 which is fixed to the lower end of the base wall 13, at the central point thereof, and in the concave recess 17. Secured to the attachment rod 18 is the anchor line 19 which may be made from any suitable material, as for example a cord, chain or the like. As shown in FIG. 1, the anchor line 19 is provided on the lower end thereof with a suitable attachment means, as for example the spike 20 which may be driven into the ground 21 under the water 22 for anchoring the base 10 in place. The line 19 and the spike 20 may also be termed an anchor means.

As best seen in FIG. 3, the base 10 is hollow and the hollow interior is communicated with the exterior or atmosphere through the valve means generally indicated by the numenal 23 and which is closed by a plug carried on the line 24. The line 24 is fixed to the side of the base 10 by any suitable means. Either air or water may be admitted into the hollow interior of the base 10 for the purpose of regulating the depth of the base 10 in the water 22. That is, if the ballast 15 is not suflicient to bring the base 10 downwardly into the water to the desired depth an additional amount of ballast may be added by admitting water through the valve 23 into the interior of the base 10. Air may be admitted through valve 23 if the base is made from a flexible material for inflating the base. It will be understood that the ballast 15 may be eliminated and the base 10 balanced entirely by the use of water.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the game ball apparatus of the present invention further includes the vertically disposed tube 12. This tube 12 is provided on the upper end thereof with the integral funnel shaped entrance portion 26 which diverges upwardly from the upper end of the vertical throat portion 25. The opening or inlet of the entrance portion 26 is indicated by the numeral 27 in FIG. 3. The interior of the throat portion 25 is indicated by the numeral 28 and it communicates with the interior 32 of each of the discharge tubes 29, 30 and 31. As best seen in FIG. 2, the discharge tubes 29, 30 and- 31 are evenly spaced around the vertical tube portion 25, and the discharge 33 for each of these discharge tubes is vertically disposed so as to discharge the ball sidewardly outward in a substantially horizontal direction.

The height of the tube portion generally indicated by the numeral 12 may be made to any desired size. For example, an illustrative embodiment may have the tube portion 12 approximately 36 inches in height. The inner diameter 28 of the throat portion 25 for such embodiment may be of any desired size, as for example, 7 inches fora ball 5 inches in diameter.

The discharge tubes 29, 30 and 31 are secured to the upper side of the platform 11 by any suitable means, as for example by a suitable adhesive. As best seen in FIG. 3, the upper wall 14 of the base is secured to the platform 11 by any suitable means, as for example by a suitable adhesive. The Opening 27 of the funnel shaped entrance portion 26 'may be of any desired size, as for example with the diameter 28 of the throat portion 25 being 7 inches the opening 27 may be about 9 inches.

In use, the base 10 may be used in the water at a beach by anchoring it to the ground 21 under the water 22, as shown in FIG. 1. The people playing the game would be disposed about the game apparatus and the person having the ball 35 would throw the ball into the tube 12 as shown in FIG. 3. The ball 35 would fall down through the tube throat portion 25 and be discharged out of any one of the discharge tubes 29, 30 or 31 depending upon various factors, as for example the speed of the ball, the way the ball goes through the throat portion 25 and the action of the water 22 in rocking the base 10. The base 10 will hold the tube means 12 in a substantially vertical position, but it will be understood that the motion of the water 22 will rock the tube 12 to some extent, thereby adding to the skill required for throwing the ball 35 into the entrance portion 26. It will be seen, that many people can play the game at the same time and that it will provide much amusement and entertainment for persons of all ages and will also be a source of healthy exercise.

Although the game apparatus has been illustrated as used in the water at a beach, it will also be understood that it may be used in a pool and on land. When disposed on land, the ballast 15 would maintain the game apparatus in an upright position. The game apparatus could also be made for strictly land use by providing the base 10 with a flat bottom. It will be seen that the discharge tubes 29, 30 and 31 are arcuate in elevation cross section, as shown in FIG. 3, and discharge the ball 35 outwardly in a horizontal direction. It will be understood that these discharge tubes may be shaped as desired, as for example, the discharge end 33 may be disposed at an angle so as to discharge the balls at a slight upward angle.

While it will be apparent that the preferred embodiment of the invention herein disclosed is well calculated to fulfill the objects above stated, it will be appreciated that the invention is susceptible to modification, variation and change without departing from the proper scope or fair meaning of the subjoincd claim.

What we claim is:

In a ball game apparatus, the combination comprising:

(a) a vertical tube having an open upper end for the reception of a ball thrown therein;

(b) a plurality of curved discharge tubes;

(c) each of said discharge tubes having a horizontally disposed ball outlet portion and an inlet portion communicating with a lower end of said vertical tube; and

((1) means attached to said discharge tubes for floatably supporting said discharge tubes and vertical tube.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,037,877 9/1912 Doerr 273 1,496,387 6/1924 Smith. 2,130,820 9/1938 Trumbull 2731.5 3,048,395 8/1962 H bbs 2721 ANTON O. OECHSLE, Primary Examiner.

M. R. PAGE, Assistant Examiner. 

